My review for Graveyard Keeper
Let's hope the sequel mends the issues.
#graveyardkeeper #review #opinion #impression #fullgame
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For more content check me out at https://www.youtube.com/@realcsomm
Let's hope the sequel mends the issues.
#graveyardkeeper #review #opinion #impression #fullgame
Like, share and subscribe!
For more content check me out at https://www.youtube.com/@realcsomm
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GamingTranscript
00:00So here's the deal. Recently Graveyard Keeper was being given away for free on Steam and that's not
00:06random. With a sequel reportedly on the way in 2026, this felt like one of those moments where
00:12the developers are trying to get more people into the franchise before the next big release drops.
00:17And I thought to myself, alright, perfect timing. I grabbed the game, picked up all the DLCs as well
00:23because from what I've seen that's apparently the best way to experience it, and decided to give it
00:28a proper shot. No surface level impressions, no quick takes, I wanted to really dig into it and
00:35see whether this is actually a hidden gem people have been sleeping on, or one of those games that
00:41sounds great on paper but falls apart once you start playing. More importantly, what can you
00:46expect from the second game based on the first one. So let's dig deep. What really hooked me right from
00:55the start is just how different this game feels compared to anything else in the genre.
01:00Instead of planting crops and building a wholesome little farm like in Stardew Valley, Graveyard Keeper
01:06throws you into a world where you're managing corpses, performing autopsies and, let's be honest,
01:12doing some pretty questionable things to turn a profit. And that's exactly the appeal. The game leans
01:18hard into this pitch black humor, constantly balancing between being disturbing and genuinely
01:23funny, which gives it a tone that's both memorable and kinda addictive. I like that it doesn't try to
01:30play it safe, it embraces the absurdity of its premise and builds its entire identity around it.
01:36Because of that, it doesn't just feel like another farming sim with a reskin, it feels like something
01:42with real personality, something bold enough to stand out in a crowded genre. Another thing that
01:47I've noticed is just how addictive the gameplay loop can be, but there's a catch. And a really big
01:53one. It really only clicks after you get past the initial confusion. But more on that later.
01:59Anyway, once you start to understand how all the systems in Graveyard Keeper connect, crafting, farming,
02:05managing corpses, upgrading your graveyard and eventually automating tasks with zombies,
02:10the game can transform into this cycle of constant progression. You're always working
02:15towards something, whether it's unlocking a new tech, optimizing your workflow or squeezing more
02:21efficiency out of your daily routine. And that's where things lift off. What might initially feel
02:27clunky and overwhelming, slowly turns into a rhythm, where every small improvement feeds into the next,
02:34making your time investment feel worthwhile. Once you reach that point, it becomes very hard,
02:40to put the game down, with hours just disappearing because there's always one more thing to do.
02:46And that sense of gradual mastery is what makes the experience so rewarding.
02:51However, the game can get extremely grind heavy, to the point where it starts feeling less like
02:57meaningful progression and more like pure busy work. In Graveyard Keeper, even the simplest tasks
03:03are rarely simple. They're broken down into multiple layers of crafting, resource gathering and
03:08processing steps that force you to constantly move back and forth between locations.
03:13You want to complete an objective? Well, be prepared to first gather materials and refine them,
03:18then craft immediate components and only then get what you actually need. That constant chaining of
03:24tasks creates a loop that can feel repetitive and unnecessarily time consuming, especially in the
03:30early and mid game. I could describe it as arcane busy work, not because the systems are inherently bad,
03:37but because they are stretched out in a way that feels like padding rather than depth. Over time,
03:42this can wear you down, turning what could have been a satisfying management experience
03:47into something that feels more like a chore than a game.
03:51In Graveyard Keeper, you're not just doing one thing over and over again.
03:55You're constantly bouncing between farming, alchemy, dungeon crawling, trading, managing the church,
04:01and progressing through a surprisingly deep tech tree. At first, it can feel like a lot,
04:07but over time, you can kind of figure out how interconnected everything is, how resources from
04:13one activity feed into another, and how each system supports your overall progression. That variety
04:18creates a sense that there's always something meaningful to work towards, whether it's unlocking
04:23a new crafting tier, improving your graveyard rating, or pushing further into the dungeon.
04:28All these elements feel well thought out, and that's what gives the game its staying power.
04:34Instead of burning out quickly, you're pulled into this ongoing loop of discovery and optimization,
04:39where progress feels steady and there's always a new goal on the horizon.
04:44Problem is, the game explains itself very poorly, especially in the early hours.
04:50Graveyard Keeper throws a ton of interconnected systems at you, but gives very little in terms of
04:55clear guidance on how they actually work or how you're supposed to progress.
04:59As a result, I found myself constantly alt-tabbing to look up stuff on the wiki to understand basic
05:06mechanics, things like where to go next, how crafting chains connect, or where certain
05:11NPCs are even available. Every fundamental progression path can feel vague or completely
05:17unexplained, which turns what should be discovery into confusion.
05:21You practically need extensive web research just to move forward efficiently, and that's
05:27where frustration can kick in. Instead of feeling like you're learning the game naturally, it can
05:32feel like you're fighting against it, especially in the early game where everything is new and
05:37overwhelming.
05:38One other aspect that I like is the game's presentation, especially its pixel art and overall atmosphere.
05:45Graveyard Keeper uses a detailed, handcrafted pixel style that manages to be both charming and
05:50slightly unsettling at the same time, which perfectly matches its dark, morbid theme.
05:55The environments, character designs, and even the way animations are handled all contribute to a
06:01world that feels alive in its own weird, twisted way. The music and ambient sound design do a lot of
06:07heavy lifting as well, reinforcing that eerie but oddly cozy vibe the game is going for.
06:13It creates this strange contrast where you're dealing with grim subject matter, but the presentation
06:18makes it feel almost relaxing. Overall, the art style, direction, and atmosphere are genuinely strong,
06:25and they play a huge role in making the experience memorable.
06:29Now, one thing I need to say is that the lack of pressure in the game is actually a huge
06:34plus,
06:35because it creates a more relaxed sandbox-like experience where you're free to explore and
06:40optimize without feeling rushed. It gives the game a sense of openness that stands in contrast to more
06:46structured sims. And for the right type of player, that freedom makes the whole experience feel more
06:51personal and rewarding. That would be all nice and fine if the pacing doesn't make it stumble,
06:58and it ties directly into how progression is handled. You see, in Graveyard Keeper, progress can feel both
07:04slow and uneven, especially in the early stages. You spend a significant amount of time doing repetitive,
07:11low-reward tasks before the more interesting systems even start to open up. And that's the core issue.
07:18Many of the features that actually make the game fun, like automation or more advanced crafting options,
07:23are locked behind hours of setup. You can pretty much play the game for around 40 hours and it can
07:30be
07:30genuinely enjoyable overall, but a good chunk of these, especially the first 10 hours, feel like
07:36filler you have to push through. That early grind ends up being the biggest barrier, because instead of
07:42gradually easing you into the game's depth, it front loads frustration and delays the payoff, which can
07:49turn a lot of people away before the game really gets going. Resource management is another area where
07:55the game starts to wear you down, mainly because it feels more tedious than it needs to be. In Graveyard
08:01Keeper,
08:01inventory space is limited, storage is spread out and you're constantly running back and forth between
08:07different stations just to complete a single task. On top of that, crafting chains can get overly
08:13complicated, where even basic items require multiple layers of submaterials, each within their own
08:19processing steps. Instead of feeling like meaningful depth, it often comes across as unnecessary friction,
08:26like the game is stretching out simple actions just to slow you down.
08:30That constant micromanagement, combined with all the travel and setup required, can make the experience
08:36feel more like juggling logistics than actually progressing, and for a lot of people, that crosses
08:41the line from engaging into outright frustration. NPC and quest design is another area where things
08:48aren't great, mostly because the game places a lot of restrictions on when and how you can interact with
08:53characters. NPCs follow very rigid schedules, often appearing only on specific days or at certain
09:00times, and the game doesn't always communicate this clearly. That means you can easily miss an
09:05interaction and end up waiting an entire in-game week just to try again. On top of that, key actions
09:12like selling items or progressing certain quests are tied to specific NPCs, so if they are not available,
09:19your progress is effectively halted. Instead of adding realism, this system often feels like
09:24an artificial barrier that slows everyone down, making you feel like you are stuck waiting rather
09:31than actively playing. And over time, that lack of flexibility can turn routine interactions into
09:37frustrating roadblocks. So now that everything has been said and done, how would I summarize this
09:44situation? This is a game with a fantastic unique idea and a surprisingly deep set of systems that can
09:50become increasingly engaging, but only if you're willing to push through a rough start and a lot of
09:56friction along the way. At its best, it's a dark addictive management sim where everything connects in
10:02a satisfying way, giving you that constant sense of progression and optimization. However, at its worst,
10:09it can feel like a grind-heavy, poorly explained experience that wastes your time with unnecessary
10:15complexity and slow pacing. So my overall takeaway is pretty simple. Graveyard Keeper is a game of extremes.
10:22If the systems click with you, you can easily lose dozens of hours to it and genuinely enjoy the process.
10:28If they don't, the combination of grind, confusion and pacing issues will probably push you away before
10:34it ever gets good. And I noticed that myself as more time passed or rather as more I was interacting
10:40with the game
10:40and I just wanted it to get over with because I just felt so frustrated and drained. And essentially, that's
10:47not
10:47something you want from a cozy game. Which brings us to the next point, which is will the sequel fix
10:53these issues
10:53or will we just have a new setting, some new features while the rest remains the same?
10:58I don't really have the answer to that question. I just hope the issues that I have outlined here were
11:04recognized by the devs long ago and that the next experience will feel more enjoyable and less
11:09frustrating. Because if I encounter the same problems in the sequel, I'm definitely not gonna play this
11:15because it's just not worth my time. And not to mention, it frustrates the living shit out of me, so
11:21there's that as well.
11:23But at the end of the day, that's just my take. Let me know in the comments what you want
11:28to see in
11:29the sequel and do you think issues that I have mentioned will be fixed. And if you enjoyed the
11:34video, don't forget to like, subscribe and all that good stuff. That's it from me, until the next one.
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